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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

BULLETIN No. 736 



Contribution from the Bure&u of Animal Industry 
JOHN R. MOHLER, Chie" 




s^^^n- 




■s&'Qsu 



Washington, D. C. 



November 15, 1918 



THE OPEN SHED COMPARED WITH THE CLOSED 
BARN FOR DAIRY COWS. 

By T. E. Woodward, W. F. Turner, W. R. Hale,' and J. B. McNulty, of the 
'• " ... * 

Dairy Division. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Present dairy practice regarding open and 

closed barns 1 

Review of previous work 2 

The experimental work 3 

Description of the open shed 3 

The closed barn 4 

The cows 4 

Production records 4 

Feed records 5 

Discussion of results 5 



Page. 

Labor required 10 

Preparing cows for milking 10 

Removing manure and flushing out milk 

room 11 

Bedding— time required, pounds needed, 

etc 11 

Health and contentment of the cows 12 

Manure — preservation, handling, etc 13 

Summary 13 



PRESENT DAIRY PRACTICE REGARDING OPEN AND CLOSED BARNS. 

In order that milk and butterfat may be produced economically, 
it is necessary to provide shelter of some kind for dairy cattle during 
: the cold, stormy seasons of the year. While the length of the stabling 
I period varies in different sections of the United States, most dairy 
cows are now housed for at least five months, from November to 
{March, inclusive. 

An open-shed barn is usually partly or entirely closed on three 

! sides, leaving one side, usually the south or east, open. The shed is 

I large enough to allow each animal sufficient room for comfort and 

[exercise, the space allowed varying from 35 to 150 square feet for 

! each cow. The animals are allowed the freedom of the shed except 

at milking time. Usually there is a separate room into which the 

cows are driven for milking. This room may accommodate all or 

only a part of them. In the latter case they are milked in groups. 

In the milking room the cows are groomed, milked, and fed grain, 

after which they are driven out and another group takes their place. 

Roughage is fed in racks and troughs provided for that purpose in 

the open shed. 

74848°— 18— Bull. 736 






2 BULLETIN 736, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

The closed barn consists of a barn entirely inclosed with stall 
room enough to accommodate the entire herd. The animals are 
kept in the barn during most of the late fall and winter, and in some 
dairies the entire year. 

It is almost the universal practice of dairymen to keep their cows 
in a closed barn of some type, although in recent years some have 
used the open shed. Advocates of the latter have maintained that 
the manure is handled more easily and is better preserved and that 
the cows yield more milk and buttcrfat and are healthier, cleaner 
and more comfortable than when confined in a closed barn. Dairy- 
men who have had experience in stabling cows both in closed barns 
and in open sheds disagree as to the merits of the two. In order to 
obtain definite and reliable information on the problem the experi- 
mental work hereinafter described was carried on at the Dairy Di- 
vision Experiment Farm, Beltsville, Md., near Washington, D. C. 
The results should be applicable to other parts of the country in a sim- 
ilar latitude. 

REVIEW OF PREVIOUS WORK. 

Fraser 1 of the University of Illinois Agricultural Experiment Sta- 
tion, investigated the open->shed system of housing dairy cattle by 
sending out a list of 21 questions to dairymen in Illinois who used 
the open shed. The answers of the 18 dairymen who replied indi- 
cated that the milking barn was kept cleaner when the open shed 
was used, and that the cows and the milk were cleaner. In almost 
every case more bedding was required, and the cows showed no 
tendency to injure one another. In the latter connection it must be 
remembered that in the opinion of the Illinois dairymen mentioned 
above dehorning was believed to be necessary to the success of the 
open shed. AQ who replied to Prof. Fraser's inquiry had either 
dehorned or polled cattle. In answer to the question " What do you 
consider the chief advantage of keeping cows in this way over ordi- 
nary stabling 1 " no one fact was so generally emphasized as the labor- 
saving feature of the open shed. 

In an investigation at the Maryland Agricultural Experiment 
Station conducted by Buckley and Lamson 2 the open stable was 
compared with the closed stable. The following is a brief summary 
of the conclusions drawn from the experiment: 

The cost of construction for the open shed is smaller than for the closed barn. The 
cost of labor and the cost of milk, based on quality of feed consumed, is slightly less 
in the open shed than in the closed barn. In the open shed, manure is better pre- 
served and cows are kept cleaner. The supply of fresh air and bight is also better. 

i Fraser, W. J. "Should Dairy Cows be Confined to Stalls? " Illinois Circular 93, 1904. 
2 Buckley, S. S., and Lamson, R. W. Open Shed Versus Closed Stable for Dairy Cows. Maryland 
Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 177. 



NOV 25 31118 



OPEN SHED COMPARED WITH BARN FOR DAIRY COWS. 3 

The effects of extremely low temperatures are practically negative in reducing the 
flow of milk. No bad results were experienced from cows horning or butting one 
another when allowed the freedom of the open shed. 

Davis, 1 at the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station, 
conducted an experiment in which the effect of open-shed housing 
for dairy cows was compared with the closed stable. He concludes 
as follows: 

It appears that the cows kept under the open shed have keener appetites and con- 
sume more roughage than those kept in stables. Sufficient protein was consumed 
under both systems to meet the requirements of milk and maintenance. The milk 
yield of the outside group decreased more rapidly each winter than that of the inside 
group. Sudden drops in atmospheric temperature caused decreases in milk yield 
for both groups, the outside group having slightly greater decrease. More .bedding 
was required outside, but less labor was necessary to keep the cows clean. Both 
groups finished each winter trial in good health. 

THE EXPERIMENTAL WORK. 

The following details of three years' experiments carried on at 
the Dairy Division Experiment Farm at Beltsville, Md., show the 
conditions under which the work was done. 

DESCRIPTION OF THE OPEN SHED. 

The shed used was of frame construction, 58 feet in length and 
35 feet in width, inside measurements. On the north end a space 
of 18 feet was partitioned off and inclosed for a milking room with 
stalls for 8 cows. It had a concrete platform, gutter, and alleyway. 
The cows were allowed the freedom of the shed except at milking 
time. The north end of the shed and the east and west sides up 
to within 18 inches of the plate were kept closed, while the south 
end, except for a fence to keep the cows inside when desired, was 
entirely open. On the south was a small dry paddock where the 
cows were permitted to exercise. The space available for the cows 
within the open shed, excluding the space of the feeding troughs, 
was a little more than 1,200 square feet, which allowed each of the 
16 cows housed in the shed approximately 75 square feet of floor 
space. Two doors opened into the milking room from the shed, 
one through which the cows were driven in to be milked and the 
other through which they were driven out after milking. 

This was the type of shed used during the first year of the experi- 
ment. For the last two years a new shed, entirely open on the 
south side, replaced the old one. The north side and both ends had 
large doors which swung from the top. In summer the doors were 
raised to permit a better circulation of air, but in the winter months, 

1 Davis, H. P. The Effect of Open-Shed Housing as Compared with Closed Stable for Milch Cows." ' 
Separate No. 14 (pp. 183-226), Annual Report, 1913-14, Pennsylvania State College. 1916. 



4 BULLETIN 736, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

while the experiment was in progress, the doors were lowered. For 
the purpose of the experiment there was no difference in the two 
structures. The new shed was built only a short distance from the 
main milking barn, so it was convenient to drive the cows from the 
open shed into the main barn to be milked; consequently both 
groups of cows were milked in the same structure during the last 
two years of the experiment. 

THE CLOSED BARN. 

The closed barn was of concrete construction, 36 feet by 59^ feet, 
with stall room for 26 cows, and was equipped with concrete floors, 
mangers, and gutters. The cows faced the outside walls, and the 
alleyway behind them was 8 feet wide. The feed alleys in front 
of the cows were 4 feet wide, and there was a 5-foot alleyway at each 
end of the barn. The 17 windows, 7 on each side, 1 on the north end, 
and 2 on the south end, provided 176 square feet of lighting space. 
A modification of the King system of ventilation was used. 

The concrete floors on one side of the barn were covered with 
various kinds of insulators, such as cork brick, creosoted blocks, and 
planks. One-half of the cows used in the experiment stood on the 
floors and the other half on the concrete. 

THE COWS. 

The herd throughout the entire investigation consisted of 1 pure- 
bred Guernsey, 2 pure-bred Holsteins, 10 grade Jerseys, and 8 cows 
of miscellaneous breeding. The records of all the animals stabled 
under the two systems could not be used, on account of the irregu- 
larity of calving, etc. 

PRODUCTION RECORDS. 

•The herd was divided into two groups. During the first year 
one group was kept in the open shed and the other in the closed 
barn. The second year the groups were reversed. The third year 
the groups were again reversed, which gave three years' records for 
comparison. Owing to the irregularity in calving, all the cows have 
not three years' records which are comparable. Four cows had two 
years' records in the open shed, an average of which was taken and 
compared with their one year in the closed barn. Seven cows had 
two years' records in the closed barn, an average of which was 
compared with their one year's record in the open shed. 

Since the results of the housing are determined quite largely, if 
not entirely, upon the stabling period — November to March, in- 
clusive — only the records obtained for the five months were studied. 
These records do not in any case cover the entire period of five 
months, owing to the irregularity of some of the cows in calving, 



OPEN SHED COMPARED WITH BARN FOR DAIRY COWS. 5 

though all records come within the five months mentioned. Only- 
comparable records have been included. By way of illustration: 
Cow 201 calved October 26, 1914, while in the open shed. In 1915 
she calved September 26, while in the closed barn. Therefore, in 
order that there should be no difference in the records due to time 
of freshening, records for December, 1914, and January, February, 
and March, 1915, in the open shed, were compared with the records 
for November and December, 1915, and January and February, 1916, 
in the closed barn. In a similar way other production records 
covering the same length of time in the two barns and taken the 
same time after calving have been compared. 

The weight of each milking was recorded, and composite samples 
for two days were taken in the middle of the month and tested for 
butterfat. The butterfat test of the composite samples taken during 
the two days was used to calculate the total butterfat production for 
the month. 

FEED RECORDS. 

The grain mixture used throughout the experiment was the same 
for both groups of cows, and usually consisted of 2 parts corn meal, 
2 parts wheat bran, and 1 part cottonseed meal. In some instances 
the mixture was varied slightly in the case of individual cows. The 
roughage consisted of silage and of such hay as was available on the 
farm — cowpea, crimson clover, and red clover. 

All grain fed was accurately weighed out for each animal, and 
records were kept during the periods covered by the production 
record. The hay, silage, and other roughage fed to the cows in the 
open shed the first year were weighed out in quantities sufficient for 
the entire lot, and it was assumed that equal quantities were con- 
sumed by the various individuals. During the last two years of the 
experiment the roughage was weighed out to each animal. The 
quantity of grain fed was determined largely by the production of 
the individual cow, but consideration was given also to her physical 
condition. It was desired to keep all cows in good condition and to 
maintain each individual at a uniform weight. They were fed all the 
silage and hay they would consume without waste. 

The cows in the open shed were bedded of,ten enough to keep the 
inclosure clean, which was almost every day. In the closed barn the 
cows were bedded daily, and bedding enough was used to make them 
comfortable and to absorb the liquid manure. For the five months 
of the year during which data were taken wheat straw was used with 
both groups. 

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS. 

The milk and butterfat production records made under both the 
open-shed and closed-barn conditions are shown in Table 1 



BULLETIN 736, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 









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OPEN" SHED COMPARED WITH BARN FOR DAIRY COWS. 
Table 2. — Feed consumed. 

OPEN SHED. 



Cow No. 


Corn 
meal. 


Wheat 

bran. 


Cotton- 
seed 
meal. 


Red- 
clover 
hay. 


Crim- 
son- 
clover 
hay. 


Cow- 
pea 
hay. 


Corn 
silage. 


Miscellaneous. 


1 


Pounds. 
190 
443 
462 
400 
299 
446 
181 
206 
276 
342 
295 
263 
487 
448 
392 
378 
188 
354 
276 
654 
432 


Pounds. 
158 
296 
308 
306 
200 
297 
121 
166 
276 
265 
196 
263 
361 
300 
280 
126 
188 
118 
276 
654 
432 


Pounds. 

79 
148 
153 
153 

99 
148 

60 

82 
138 
132 

99 
132 
lis 
149 
112 
126 

94 
118 
138 
326 
215 


Pounds. 
72 
144 
144 
144 
144 
144 
144 


Pounds. 


Pounds 
40:> 
445 
445 
445 
208 
445 
208 
363 

423 
208 
405 

75 
445 

75 


Pounds. 
2,970 
3,210 
3.210 
3,210 
2,032 
3,210 
2,032 
2,114 
3,150 
3, 19S 
1,770 
2,948 
3, 0'JO 
3,210 
3, 045 
1,870 
1,910 
1,870 
2,995 
G.0E0 
4,325 


Corn stover, 155. 


2 


4 




7 




8 




9 




12 




14 




i7 


134 

72 
144 

72 
112 
144 
112 
236 

236 
134 
144 

144 


295 

225 
225 




18 


Corn stover, 115. 


19 


20 




21 




22 




23 




24 




26 


267 






27 




100 


295 
424 
354 


96 




201 




202 








Total 


7,478 


5,587 


2,849 


2,620 


2,085 


4,691 


61,419 





CLOSED BARN. 



1 


164 
360 
362 

297 

206 
276 
213 
236 

343 

264 
214 
252 

276 

263 

317 

265 
174 

204 

358 
533 
319 


164 
360 
362 

297 

206 
276 
213 
236 

267 

264 
214 
252 

223 

263 

262 

177 
137 

163 

297 
533 
253 


82 
180 
232 

190 

103 
138 
106 
118 

145 

132 
107 
126 

171 

132 

205 

88 
69 

82 

149 
267 
128 


134 

15 
15 

124 

72 

134 

124 
73 
124 

26 


295 
337 

287 

267 

236 
276 
267 
236 

1212 

292 
295 
267 

292 

2 57 


75 

259 

197 

417 

712 
192 

478 

240 
349 
432 


2,700 
3,010 
2,805 

2,805 

1,770 
2,540 
1,770 
1,770 

2,013 

1,715 
2,065 
3, 150 

3,108 

1,470 

1,455 

885 

900 

2,917 
2,475 
3, 70S 




2 




4 


Cottonseed hulls, 138. 
/Cottonseed hulls, 138. 
\Bone meal, 31. 


7 


8 


9 




12 




14 




17 


[Cottonseed hulls, 45. 


18 . 


(Bone meal, 9. 
Dried-beet pulp, 410. 


19... 


20 




21 


/Cottonseed hulls, 276. 
\Bone meal, 26. 
Beet pulp, 410. 
[Cottonseed hulls, 276. 


22 


23 


24 


1 Turnips, 2,655. 

Turnips, 2,700. 


26...: 




1228 


27 


/Turnips, 1,325. 
\Stover, 115. 


100 


73 
50 


182 
1361 


201 


Stover, 474 


202 








Total 


5,896 


5,419 


2,950 


964 


3,520 


3,351 


45,031 





Alfalfa hay. 



2 Timothy hay. 



In the data of Table 1 it will be noted that of the. 21 cows kept 
under the two systems 15 produced more milk and butterfat when 
kept in the open shed, while 6 showed a higher production when 
kept in the closed barn. The total production while in the open 
shed was 34,630.9 pounds of milk, containing 1,535.15 pounds of 
butterfat, and that in the closed barn was 31,898.7 pounds of milk, 



8 



BULLETIN" 736, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



containing 1,437.41 pounds of butterfat. Accordingly, under the 
open-shed system there was a total increase for the period considered, 
about 2.71 months, of 2,732.2 pounds of milk and 97.74 pounds of 
butterfat, or an average for each cow of 130.1 pounds of milk and 
4.6 pounds of butterfat. The total number of months compared 
under each system was 57. Calculations from these figures indicate 
that there was an average monthly increase of 48 pounds of milk 
and 1.7 pounds of butterfat for each cow while stabled in the open 
shed. 

Tables 2 and 3 show, respectively, the feed and digestible nutrients 
in the feed consumed by the two groups covering the same period of 
time as the production shown in Table 1. Where the figures in 
Table 1 are an average of two years the feeds in Tables 2 and 3 are 
also an average of two years. 

Table 3. — Digestible nutrients in feed consumed. 



Feeds. 



Concentrates: 

Corn meal 

Wheat bran 

Cottonseed meal. 

Fish meal 

Dried-beet pulp. 



Total. 



Roughage: 

Alfalfa hay 

Cowpea hay 

Crimson-clover hay. 

Red-clover hay 

Timothy hay 

Corn stover 

Cottonseed hulls — 



Total. 



Silage and roots: 
Corn silage... 
Turnips 



Total. 



Grand total 

Pounds digestible nutrients required to 
produce 1 pound of fat 



Open-shed group. 



Protein. 



Carbohy- 
drates 



Pounds. 


Pounds. 


515.98 


5,159.82 


698. 37 


2,324.19 


951.57 


692. 31 


44.98 





2,210.901 8,176.32 



614. 52 
202. 24 
199.12 



1,026.51 



675. 61 



3,913.02 
2.55 



1,580.87 

767. 28 

1,029.66 



3,592.35 



9, 212. 85 



9,212.85 



20,981.52 
13.67 



Fat. 



Pounds. 
261.73 
167.61 
225. 07 
13.80 



46.91 
20.85 
47.16 



429. 93 



429. 93 



1,216.60 
.79 



Closed-barn group. 



Protein. 



Pounds. 
406. 82 
677. 37 
985. 30 



37.72 



2,107.21 



84.91 

438. 98 

345. 61 

73.26 

1.71 

19.34 

2.62 



966. 43 



Carbohy- 
drates. 



Pounds. 

4,068.24 

2, 254. 30 

716. 85 



534.64 



7,574.03 



312.39 
1,129.29 
1,295.36 

378. 85 
24.40 

390. 50 

290. 71 



3,821.50 



495. 34 6, 754. 65 
6. 68 400. 80 



3,575.66 
2.49 



7,155.45 



18,550.98 
12.91 



Fat. 



Pounds. 
206. 36 
162. 57 
233. 05 



. 56 



608. 54 



7.21 

33.51 

35. 20 

17.35 

.68 

6.45 
13.03 



113.49 



315. 22 
13.36 



328. 58 



1 , 050. 61 
.73 



It may be noted in Table 3 that when the cows were kept in the 
open shed they required more digestible nutrients. However, the 
quantities of digestible nutrients required to produce one pound of 
fat in each of the two stables did not vary appreciably. 



OPEN SHED COMPARED WITH BARN FOR DAIRY COWS. 
Table 4. — Analyses used in calculating digestible nutrients. 1 



Feed. 



Corn meal 

Wheat bran (all anal- 
yses) 

Cottonseed meal 
(prime) 

Beet pulp (dried ) 

Fish meal (high in fat) 
Alfalfa (all analyses) . 
Cowpea (all analyses). 



Crude 
protein 

(per 100 
pounds). 



Carbo- 
hydrates 

(per 100 
pounds). 



6.9 
12.5 

33.4 

4.6 
37.8 
10.6 
13.1 



69.0 
41.6 



24.3 
65.2 



39.0 
33.7 



Fat (per 

100 
pounds). 



3.5 
3.0 

7.9 

.8 

11.6 

.9 

1.0 



Feed. 



Crimson clover 

Red clover (all anal- 
yses) 

Corn stover (medium 
in water) 

Cottonseed hulls 

Corn silage (well ma- 
tured) 

Turnips 



Crude 
protein 
(per 100 
pounds). 



9.7 
7.6 



2.1 
.3 



1.1 

1.0 



Carbo 

hydrates 
(per 100 
pounds). 



36.8 
39.3 



42.4 
33.3 



15.0 
6.0 



Fat (per 

100 
pounds). 



1.0 
1.8 



.7 
1.5 



1 From ''Feeds and Feeding," by Henry and Morrison. 
Table 5. — Feed cost of milk and butt erf at. 





Open-shed group. 


Closed-barn group. 


Cow No. 


Cost of 
grain. 


Cost of 
rough- 
age. 


Total 
cost of 
feed. 


Feed 
cost of 

100 
pounds 

milk. 


Feed 
cost of 1 
pound 
butter- 
fat. 


Cost of 
grain. 


Cost of 
rough- 
age. 


Total 

cost of 

feed. 


Feed 
cost of 

100 
pounds 

milk. 


Feed 

cost of 1 
pound 
butter- 
fat. 


1 


$6.58 

13.60 

14.14 

14.09 

9.16 

13.66 

5.55 

6.91 

10.42 

11.26 

9.05 

9.94 

16.27 

13.75 

12.94 

9.96 

7.09 

9.32 

10.42 

24.67 

16.30 


$13. 42 

14.49 

14.49 

14.49 

9.06 

14.49 

9.06 

9.56 

13.02 

14.08 

8.27 

13.35 

12.68 

14.49 

12.54 

7.73 

7.87 

7.73 

12.55 

23.61 

17.10 


$20.00 
28.09 
28.63 
28.58 
18.22 
28.15 
14.61 
16.47 
23.44 
25.34 
17.32 
23.29 
28.95 
28.24 
25.48 
17.69 
14.96 
17.05 
22.97 
48.28 
33.40 


$2.47 
1.28 
1.28 
1.21 
1.17 
1.39 
2.25 
1.47 
1.41 
1.89 
1.46 
2.05 
1.07 
2.91 
1.35 
1.20 
1.70 
1.20 
2.36 
1.27 
1.49 


$0.58 
.27 
.29 
.30 
.28 
.32 
.55 
.32 
.27 
.35 
.27 
.47 
.20 
.58 
.32 
.27 
.28 
.29 
.56 
.36 
.42 


$6.19 

13.59 

14.51 

11.89 

7.78 

10.42 

8.03 

8.91 

11.52 

16.12 

8.08 

9.52 

10.27 

16.09 

12.02 

8.12 

5.79 

6.84 

12.23 

20.13 

10.66 


$11.67 
12.33 
11.39 
11.23 

7.20 
10.88 

7.45 

7.20 
11.94 

8.69 

8.55 
12.71 
12.66 

7.87 
17. 56 
13.80 

7.34 
10.95 
12.79 
16.44 
15.49 


$17. 86 
25.92 
25.90 
23.12 
14.98 
21.30 
15.48 
16.11 
23.46 
24.81 
16.63 
22.23 
22.93 
23.96 
29.58 
21.92 
13.13 
17.79 
25.02 
36.57 
26.15 


$2.40 
1.39 
1.30 
1.14 
1.08 
1.36 
1.55 
1.20 
1.62 
1.81 
1.66 
1.48 
1.44 
1.75 
1.72 
1.57 
2.02 
1.48 
1.76 
.99 
1.63 




2 




4 


29 


7 


27 


8 


25 


9 


32 


12 


36 


14 




17 


30 


18 


32 


19 


32 


20 


33 


21 




22 




23 


40 


24 




26 


32 


27 


35 


100 


37 


201 


32 


202 








Total 


245. 08 


264.08 


509. 16 


1.47 


.33 


228. 71 


236. 14 


464. 85 


1.46 









By comparing the data in Table 5 it may be noted that when the 
cows were kept in the open shed they consumed more feed and pro- 
duced slightly more milk. The slight increase in production did 
not, however, entirely offset the extra cost of the larger quantity 
of feed consumed. On the average the cows when in the closed 
barn produced milk at a feed cost of 1 cent less per 100 pounds than 
when kept in the open shed; fat likewise was produced 1 cent per 
pound more cheaply. 

It was observed, however, that one or two cows in each group 
were "boss cows" when kept in the open shed, and were inclined to 
intimidate the weaker and less aggressive animals, especially at 
feeding time. Cows Nos. 14 and 20 were timid individuals, and, 
unlike the large majority, produced decidedly less when in the open 
shed than when in the closed barn. No doubt this tendency of the 



10 BULLETIN 736, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

stronger to boss and torment the weaker cows can be remedied, to a 
certain degree at least, by using some sort of tie on the cows when 
they are feeding. All cows used in the experiment were without 
horns; it is not practicable to attempt to keep horned cattle in an 
open shed. 

The elimination of cows Nos. 14 and 20 from the data in Table 5 
would change the results so that the feed cost of producing 100 
pounds of milk in the open barn is reduced to $1.45 while that in the 
closed barn is increased to $1.47. As regards the butterfat, the cost 
of producing 1 pound becomes the same in both cases — 32.73 cents. 

The following prices of feeds have been used in calculating the 
foregoing tables. They represent a fair average of the market prices 
for this section during the time the investigation was in progress. 

Prices of feeds. . 

Per ton. 

Corn meal $33. 

Wheat bran 26 

Cottonseed meal 33 

Fish meal 35 

Alfalfa hay 24 

Cowpea hay 16 

Red-clover hay 18- 

Crimson-clover hay 16 

Corn stover 8 

Corn silage 6 

Beet pulp 30 

Turnips 6 

Cottonseed hulls 8 

LABOR REQUIRED. 

The labor required, aside from milking and feeding, is shown in 
Table 6. The figures in this table were compiled from accurate time 
records kept for each operation. 

Table 6. — Labor required (aside from milking and feeding). 



Labor operations (based on a herd of 16 cows). 



Average per cow per 
day. 



Closed 
barn. 



Open 
shed. 



Preparing cows for milking 

Removing manure and cleaning milking barn 
Bedding : 

Total (aside from milking and feeding) . 



Mm. Sec. 

3 36 

4 25 
1 1 



Min. Sec. 
6 45 
3 11 
1 18 



11 14 



PREPARING COWS FOR MILKING. 



In the open shed preparing the cows for milking included driving 
them into the milking room, putting them into the stanchions, brush- 
ing them, washing udders, flanks, and bellies, milking out the first few 



OPEN SHED COMPARED WITH BARN FOR DAIRY COWS. 11 

streams of milk to lower the bacterial count, and driving the cows out 
again. The time of milking was not taken into consideration, as the 
operation consumed practically the same time under each system. In 
the closed barn the time required to perform the same sanitary duties 
described above was considerably less because the cows were already 
stabled and the time of driving in and out was saved. 

REMOVING MANURE AND FLUSHING OUT MILKING ROOM. 

The second operation shown in Table 6 in the case of the open barn 
consisted in removing the small quantity of manure dropped by the 
cows while in the milking room and washing the floors, platform, and 
gutter of the milking room once daily. While the manure from the 
open shed was not removed daily, an allowance of time required to 
remove it has been included under this operation. It was assumed 
that the same quantity of manure was produced daily by the cows in 
the open shed as by the same number of cows in the closed barn. 
The time required to remove the manure from the open shed has been 
added to the time required to clean and flush out the milking room. 

The operation in the closed barn included the time required to 
load the manure on a wagon and to remove it from the barn; also the 
time to wash up the floors, platforms, and gutters and to put the 
barn in the same sanitary condition as the milking room in the open 
shed. 

With reference to the time required to keep both milking rooms 
clean, it may be noted (Table 6) that considerably less was needed 
for the small barn used in connection with the open-shed group. 
Doubtless the saving of time would have been even more marked had 
more cows been used. The figures were compiled for a herd of 16, 
handled in two shifts of 8 cows each. With a very little extra time 
for cleaning out, a much larger herd could have been milked in the 
small barn. It should be noted also that the figures are based on the 
assumption that the manure from the closed barn is to be hauled 
directly to the field. If it is necessary either on account of the small 
quantity or because of bad weather or soft fields to store the manure 
and haul it out later, about 1+ minutes should be added to the figures 
for the closed-barn cows, which would make the labor required, aside 
from milking and feeding, 10 minutes and 32 seconds, as against 11 
minutes and 14 seconds for the open-shed cows. 

BEDDING— TIME REQUIRED, POUNDS NEEDED, ETC. 

By referring to Table 6 it may be noted that the time required to 
bed the cows did not vary widely in the two stables. A few seconds 
more for each cow were required in the open shed. It was observed 
throughout the trial, however, that the cows in the open shed kept 
themselves cleaner than those in the stalls. 



12 BULLETIN 736, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

The weights of the bedding used in each stable were recorded daily 
for 3 months during the trial, and the average was taken as the basis 
of comparison. The data thus obtained showed that the cows in the 
open shed required a daily average of 8.3 pounds, as compared with 
4.94 pounds for the cows kept in the closed barn, or an increase of 
68 per cent. Cornstalks, which at times were used for bedding the 
stock in the open shed, were so nearly decomposed when the manure 
was hauled to the field that they gave no trouble in loading on the 
spreader or in being evenly distributed on the land. No doubt other 
kinds of coarse bedding can be used with better results in open sheds 
than in closed barns, which is one advantage that tends to offset the 
extra cost of bedding in the open shed when only straw is used. On 
damp, rainy days more bedding was needed than in dry weather. 
Regardless of climatic conditions, however, the more space allowed 
each cow the less bedding will be required. 

Good drainage is necessary for success with any open shed. With- 
out it the quantity of bedding required is certain to be increased and 
the comfort of the cows seriously lessened. Water from the sur- 
rounding ground must flow away from, not toward, the shed. Eave 
spouts to carry the water from the roof of the shed to a place where 
it will readily flow away are provided for most sheds. 

HEALTH AND CONTENTMENT OF THE COWS. 

There seemed to be little, if any, difference in the amount of actual 
sickness observed under either open-shed or closed-barn conditions. 
In the closed barn the animals sometimes would get "big knees" from 
kneeling or falling on the concrete platform. This trouble was not 
observed when the open shed was used. Of the 21 cows used during 
the 3 years of the investigation two had their hips "knocked down" 
while in the open shed. Very probably the injuries were the result 
of being knocked against the side of the shed or the feed rack by 
stronger, more greedy, and aggressive cows. 

In general, little difference could be noted in the contentment of the 
cows under either open-shed or closed-barn conditions. Some of the 
animals appeared to be more contented in the barn stalls; others 
appeared to be more at ease in the open shed, while still others seemed 
to have no preference. Under open-shed conditions the cows had 
more freedom. They could lie down and get up with ease, and could 
pick a clean place on which to lie whenever they chose. For them 
fresh air was abundant. Inasmuch as the closed barn used in the 
investigation was a modern, well-ventilated structure, no observa- 
tions were needed on the subject of ventilation. In many of our 
poorly ventilated dairy barns, however, the impure air would doubt- 
less be an important factor in determining the comparative merits of 
the two systems. 



OPEN SHED COMPARED WITH BARN FOR DAIRY COWS. 13 

MANURE— PRESERVATION, HANDLING, ETC. 

Under the open-shed system the manure was kept in an excellent 
state of preservation until it was hauled to the land, and it also was 
handled more economically. These are important considerations to 
the farmer who hauls manure direct from the barn to the field. Fre- 
quently the fields are too soft to be driven over and at certain seasons 
the growing of the crops prevents hauling the manure to the land. 
On this particular farm it was altogether impracticable, during most 
of the winter, to attempt to haul manure to the fields. Manure can 
be preserved until it is convenient to haul it to the fields by storing it 
in a manure pit. The walls and bottom of the pit are usually made 
of concrete and it is covered with a roof, so that it has the appearance 
of a small shed. When compared with the open-shed system of 
handling manure the manure pit has two disadvantages: First, it calls 
for an increased expenditure of money, and second, it necessitates 
handling the manure twice. 

SUMMARY. 

The cows consumed somewhat more feed and produced slightly 
more milk when kept in the open shed than when kept in the closed 
barn. The increase in production was not quite large enough to 
offset the extra feed cost. 

When kept in the open shed there was a tendency for "boss cows" 
to deprive weaker individuals of their feed and of the normal ad- 
vantages of the shed, which resulted in lower milk yields from the 
weaker and more timid cows. 

All operations considered, milking and feeding excluded, slightly 
more labor was required to care for the cows when kept in the open 
shed. 

The manure was apparently well preserved, until it could be hauled 
to the land, under the open-shed system. It was also handled more 
economically than hi the closed barn. Cornstalks in the manure were 
sufficiently decomposed to be handled successfully with the manure 
spreader. 

Under the open-shed system 68 per cent more bedding was required 
for each cow, but the cows were cleaner and more comfortable. 
There was little difference in the time required to bed them under the 
two systems. It is possible to use cornstalks or other coarse material 
for bedding in the open shed. 

There appeared to be little if any difference in the frequency of 
injuries to cows under either open-shed or closed-barn conditions. 



PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION. 

Handling and Feeding of Silage. (Farmers' Bulletin 578.) 

Economical Cattle Feeding in the Corn Belt. (Farmers' Bulletin 588.) 

Clean Milk Production and Handling. (Farmers' Bulletin 602.) 

Ice Houses and Use of Ice on Dairy Farm. (Farmers' Bulletin 623.) 

Cottonseed Meal for Feeding Beef Cattle. (Farmers' Bulletin 655.) 

Plan for a Small Dairy House. (Farmers' Bulletin 689.) 

Feeding of Grain Sorghums to Live Stock. (Farmers' Bulletin 724.) 

The Feeding of Dairy Cows. (Farmers' Bulletin 743.) 

Feeding and Management of Dairy Calves and Young Dairy Stock. (Farmers' 
Bulletin 777.) 

Contagious Abortion of Cattle. (Farmers' Bulletin 790.) 

Production of Baby Beef. (Farmers' Bulletin 811.) 

Pit Silos. (Farmers' Bulletin 825.) 

Breeds of Dairy Cattle. (Farmers' Bulletin 893.) 

Business of 10 Dairy Farms in Bluegrass Region of Kentucky. (Department Bul- 
letin 548.) 

The Economical Winter Feeding of Beef Cows in the Corn Belt. (Department 
Bulletin 615.) 

The Open Shed Compared with the Closed Barn for Dairy Cows. (Department 
Bulletin 736.) 

Advantages of Dairying in the South. (Secretary's Special.) 

Conveniences for Handling the Farm Cow and Her Products. (Secretary's Special.) 

Do You Keep a Cow? (Secretary's Special.) 

Feeding the Farm Cow in the South. (Secretary's Special.) 

Shall Southern Farmers Build Creameries? (Secretary's Special.) 

The Feeding and Care of Dairy Calves. (Secretary's Special.) 

The Production and Care of Milk and Cream. (Secretary's Special.) 

PUBLICATIONS OF THE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE RELAT- 
ING TO THE CARE OF CATTLE. 

FOR SALE BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, GOVERNMENT PRINTING 
OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. C. 

Feeding Farm Animals. (Farmers' Bulletin 22.) Price, 5 cents. 

Dairy Herd, Its Formation and Management. (Farmers' Bulletin 55.) Price, 5 cents. 

Breeds of Dairy Cattle. (Farmers' Bulletin 106.) Price, 5 cents. 

Computation of Rations for Farm Animals by Use of Energy Values. (Farmers' 

Bulletin 346.) Price, 5 cents. 
Dairy Industry in the South. (Farmers' Bulletin 349.) Price, 5 cents. 
A Successful Poultry and Dairy Farm. (Farmers' Bulletin 355.) Price, 5 cents. 
Homemade Silos. (Farmers' Bulletin 589.) Price, 5 cents. 
Cost of Raising a Dairy Cow. (Department Bulletin 49.) Price, 5 cents. 
Use of Energy Values in Computation of Rations for Farm Animals. (Department 

Bulletin 459.) Price, 5 cents. 
The Influence of Type and Age upon Utilization of Feed by Cattle. (Bureau of 

Animal Industry Bulletin 128.) Price, 30 cents. 
Nutritive Value of Non-Protein of Feeding Stuffs. (Bureau of Animal Industry 

Bulletin 139.) Price, 10 cents. 
Maintenance Rations of Farm Animals. (Bureau of Animal Industry Bulletin 143.) 

Price, 15 cents. 
Designs for Dairy Buildings. (Bureau of Animal Industry Circular 131.) Price, 5 cents. 
Plan for Small Dairy House. (Bureau of Animal Industry Circular 195.) Price, 5 

cents. 

15 

WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFITICE : 1918 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



I III 

000 895 234 6 • I 



